For those who believe the wolf didn’t stand a chance against the bear, Ritcey says you shouldn’t count it out.

“We tend to think of the bear as the apex predator, but a wolf is a very formidable opponent. Wolves, as a pack, will even drag grizzly bears off of kills. They are very agile,” says Ritcey. “Any of us would have been pretty petrified if a bear ran at us, but the wolf knows what its capabilities are. It came, got in closer and closer until the bear swung at, it was testing the bear.”

The wolf is seen in the video above running away to ensure it stays out of reach of the bear before it goes back to check out one more time before deciding it isn’t worth the fight and disappearing into the woods.

“I think the wolf made the decision the odds weren’t good. If the rest of the pack were nearby, it may have turned out differently,” adds Ritcey.

WildSafeBC is a program owned and operated by the BC Conservation Foundation, is designed to help reduce human-wildlife conflict throughout the province.

“The clip has generated a lot of interest, and it helps us get out our message about keeping wildlife wild and communities safe,” adds Ritcey.

“Seeing wildlife behaving in a natural way out in the wilds is great, seeing bears in an urban setting is definitely not so great. Bears in an urban environment create safety concerns for both humans and bears so we try to help communities manage their attractants in a way that keeps bears from being drawn into town in the first place.”